The Angel's Apprentice
by Ryo Wei
Summary: During an assignment Walter finds himself rescuing a young woman. When he learns she most likely going to die he leaves her in the hands of doctors and expects to never see her again. Two years later she reappears with a request.
1. Rescue

Chapter One:

Rescue

Walter's P.O.V

"Walter! Where the hell is Seras!?" Sir Integra slammed the phone into the receiver. Her jaw was clenched into a snarl. She glared at me.

"I'm afraid that she and Captain Bernadotte have yet to return from the assignment that you gave them yesterday," I informed her. She sat back in her chair, eyes narrowed and focused straight ahead. She opened her cigar case, taking one and cutting off the edge. I walked over to her, readying the lighter in my hand. I lit the end of her cigar which she then took a puff of and blew out smoke.

"Then I suppose I have no choice. Walter, I'm sending you in with Alucard on this assignment. It's a two person job and you are the only other one that I can trust to get it done." She glanced up at me.

"Of course sir." I bowed.

"You set out immediately." She took another puff of her cigar.

"Shall I notify Alucard?"

"No need," the voice answered behind me. I turned to see him walking through the wall. "Where are we headed, my master?" He looked at Sir Integra, his eyes filled with a lust for blood and a smile spread across his face.

"Nottinghamshire," She said simply, adjusting her glasses. "Two vampires are going on a killing spree. They've sent us a direct message." She handed him a photograph of a wall coated in blood with the word "Hellsing" dripping down. "This is a message to all of us and I intend to see their heads severed and hearts pierced." She rose from her desk, her sword already in hand. "We leave now." She made her way for the door. Alucard and I followed behind.

Two hours later

In Nottinghamshire

Sir Integra led the way up the street where the police tent was stationed. She walked briskly past the guards. They had met her before and knew better than to interfere with us. We stood outside, waiting for our orders.

"So Walter, how does it feel to be heading into battle again?" Alucard smiled.

I glanced at him, not saying anything at first. Finally I smiled, pulling my black gloves out of my pockets and sliding them on. "It…" I paused still searching for the right words. "It excites me, sir." I responded, flexing my wrist, letting the wires flow out, and then using them to snap a rock in half.

"Ah, how I have missed this! The Angel of death returns!" He laughed.

"Indeed."

Moments later, Sir Integra emerged from the tent smoking her third cigar of the night. She stood her back to us.

"What are your orders, my master?" Alucard asked, his smile growing wider. Sir Integra turned to face us.

"Search and destroy, my servant," She said with a hint of amusement in her voice. "As for you, Walter, you know what to do." She smirked. "A half mile up the road there's a white house. It's number thirty-six. Do not let these monsters get away."

"As you wish, Sir." I bowed. Alucard began walking and I caught up with him. He didn't speak once while we walked. I didn't mind the silence.

It wasn't long before we came upon the house Sir Integra spoke of. We stopped at the end of the driveway. Alucard was the one who walked ahead of me and up the front steps. I followed him slowly. I could feel the excitement in me rising. It had been a long time since I'd fought anything. It was only two vampires. This would be child's play.

"Are you ready Walter?" He pulled out both his guns. I held my left hand to my mouth and pulled the wires forward.

"Of course… this might actually be fun!" I smiled. Alucard reached for the door handle, opened it and stood to the side.

"After you, Angel."

"It would be my pleasure." I stepped into the main hall. The air was thick with the smell of blood. They were here, I could feel it. I walked down the hall into what I assumed was the living room. My eyes widened at what was before me. "Alucard…we have an…unexpected development." I stood aside for him to see.

"What, are they already de-" He didn't finish his sentence. In front of us was a young woman strapped to a chair. She wore the remnants of a night gown. Her hands were bound and she appeared to be dead. She had been brutally tortured; she was coated in blood with two gun shots in her legs. I began to approach her. "She's dead Walter."

"Let's just make sure. We don't want a ghoul sprouting up out of nowhere!" I knelt beside her and placed two fingers to her neck. "She's alive! She has a pulse!" I looked back at Alucard.

"Check for a bite mark. If she's clean, get her the hell out of here. Otherwise, dispose of her." His red eyes were cold as always. Alucard moved back into the hall and went up the stairs to the second floor.

I moved her long, black hair aside, searching her neck. I checked her arms, her torso, and her legs. There was nothing. It was almost a shame. Poor girl would be better off dead than in her current state. I severed the binding on her arms and legs and picked her up, letting her head rest on my shoulder. Suddenly, I heard gun shots coming from the second floor, followed by screams of agony.

'_So much for the fun!'_ I thought.

The girl's eyes flickered open and she winced in pain. "W-who are you?" she squeaked out. Her eyes were sapphire blue, but almost lifeless.

"Don't talk, you've lost a lot of blood. I'm going to get you out of here." I walked down the hall and pushed the door open with my shoulder. I looked down at her again. Tears were streaming down her face. Her eyes were growing duller by the second. "Stay awake! You have to stay awake!"

Police cars had gathered around the house as well as an ambulance. Sir Integra was waiting. She dropped her cigar and looked shocked.

"A survivor! Sir Integra we have a survivor!" I shouted as I made my way down the front steps.

"Don't just stand there you idiots, help him!" she yelled at the cops. They hollered for paramedics and they rushed over to me, carrying a stretcher. They took the girl from me and placed her on the stretcher. Sir Integra approached me. "Has she been turned into a vampire?" she asked.

"I searched her, ma'am. There were no bite marks that I could see," I assured her.

"Go with them. If she turns, we'll have to take her in." She watched as the girl was placed into the ambulance.

"Are you sure, sir?" I understood her reasoning, but I wasn't exactly itching to go to a hospital with a half dead girl.

"Just go, Walter. We can manage one night without you. The world won't end." She laughed. She started walking towards Alucard, who was gliding down the street with a large smile on his face that was always there after he'd recently slaughtered something.

I turned back, looking at the ambulance and sighed. '_I'm getting too old for this…'_

An officer approached me. "Mr. Dornez, if you follow me I'll be the one to drive you to the hospital." He led me to the cop car, and opened the door to the back seat. I ducked in and sat there as the cop got in and started driving.

We arrived a while after the ambulance. A few hours after arriving, a nurse approached me.

"Is she alive?" I asked, glancing up at her for only a moment.

"For now…the doctors say there's a 5% chance."

I sat there, thinking. "Do you have a name?" I asked after a period of silence.

"Not that I am aware of." I stayed quiet after that.

When morning came, she was out of surgery, but still in critical condition. She was alive, but barely. If she was a vampire she would be awake and healing from her wounds much faster. This girl was still human and dying. I informed Sir Integra of the situation and she ordered my return. She's wasn't a vampire, meaning she was no longer our problem.

I stood over her, the heart monitor steadily beeping in the background.

"I am sorry, my dear. I have done you a great disservice. I do not ask for your forgiveness, but hope that your suffering doesn't last much longer." I thought about killing her right there and then, but I ignored it. I turned and walked out the door, leaving the hospital and the girl behind.


	2. Miss Love

**Chapter 2:**

**Miss Love**

**Two Years Later**

**Rome, Italy**

**Father Anderson's P.O.V.**

"Ah, what a wonderful day!" I said, strolling down the walk way in front of the orphanage. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky and a lovely breeze was blowing. Two of the children ran up to me.

"Father, Father!" Jacob stopped a moment to catch his breath.

"Jacob my boy! Oh and Luca as well. What is it you need?" I knelt down and put my hands on their shoulders.

"There's a lady here to see you!" Jacob exclaimed.

"She's in a wheelchair!" Luca pointed to the walkway leading up to the orphanage. I looked up and saw a young woman with long, black hair wheeling herself up the cobblestone path. I placed my hands on their heads and turned them back towards me.

"It's not polite to stare, boys. Now then, return to your studies. I'm sure Heinkel is looking for you. I'll go speak with our guest." I sent them off and once they were out of sight I refocused on the young lady making her way towards the front entrance. I began walking to meet her. When she reached the stairs, she stopped and looked up at the building. When I approached her, she didn't seem to notice me, almost like she was in a trance.

"What can I do for you, my dear?" I finally spoke up. She flinched, startled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. The children said you were looking for me." With that, her face lit up.

"Ah, you must be Father Alexander Anderson!" She smiled and turned to face me. She extended her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you." I shook her hand.

"May I ask your name, young lady?"

"Oh, yes of course, my name is Melody Love." She moved her hair behind her ears. "I have a few things I need to ask you about."

"Alright, shall we go inside and talk?" I offered.

She nodded. "Yes… I think that would be best." She looked up at the building. She clearly had something on her mind. I walked around her and placed my hands on the handles of the wheelchair. "Oh, um, thank you… I'm still not quite used to this thing yet." She looked back and gave me a pained smile. When we reached the stairs I turned her around and lifted her up the five steps. I opened the door and continued to wheel her towards my office. She didn't speak during that time.

When we reached my office, I moved her into the middle of the room and walked to my desk, sitting down and folding my hands. Now that we were out of the bright sunlight, I could see her more clearly. She had long, black hair that went down to her waist. She was wearing a white sundress and bore a jeweled cross around her neck. She also had a small bag over her shoulder. Her eyes were a bright blue, but vacant. Because of her dress, I could see her body was covered in scars. This woman had clearly seen things she wasn't meant to.

"So… Miss Love, what is it? You're from England, correct? I'm sure you wouldn't have come all this way if it wasn't important." I decided getting to the point was the best way to handle this situation.

The smile that had been on her face disappeared and she sighed. "I started to hear your name a little less than a year ago. It's whispered among the monsters. They fear you and it takes a lot of coercing to get them to talk. The Iscariot Organization, Section XIII… It doesn't officially exist, but I suppose the same could be said about vampires."

I stood up from my desk, ready to draw one of my bayonets. "Just who are you?" I asked calmly.

"I told you, my name is Melody Love. Now if you don't mind, Father, please relax. I'm here for information, not to start a war." She smiled.

"Are you human?" I looked her over again. She looked human, but I knew better than to assume these things. She looked puzzled by my question.

"Of course." She tilted her head to the side. "You think I'm a vampire?" She smirked. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm very human. I'm a survivor of a vampire attack… That's why I'm here."

I sat back down. "The Lord has blessed you with a second chance at life, my dear. Revenge is not a wise use of your time."

"No, you misunderstand me, Father. The monsters that did this to me are long dead."

"Then why have you come here?"

"I was rescued by a man whose name I don't know. I want to find him." She leaned forward.

"Do you have any clues?" I adjusted my glasses.

"Yes, I have two clues. The first one is a word. I don't know if it's a group or just a name, but it's the only information the nurses would give me. Does the word 'Hellsing' mean anything to you?"

I frowned. "Yes…" I paused. _'Leave it to those bloody Protestants to leave behind this God-damned mess…'_ Her face lit up, and for the first time this meeting, she smiled for real. "Please don't get the wrong idea, Miss. I know who they are, but I can't do much to help you. We don't exactly see eye-to-eye. You understand?" '_And that's putting it lightly,'_ I thought to myself. "They are the Royal Protestant Knights. They take care of vampires that sprout up in England, but they're a dangerous bunch. You'd do well to avoid them." I leaned back in my chair. Her smile had faded once again. She looked down, her eyes hidden by her bangs. "To be honest, I'm surprised they let you go. That damn woman must be going soft." I smirked.

"Can you tell me anything else about them?" She asked, still looking down.

"The one you're probably referring to is called 'Alucard'. He's not a man, he's a vampire," I explained. She looked up with wide eyes.

"You mean he hunts his own kind?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yes, he's the great, 'domesticated' vampire. I've fought with him on several occasions. He's the most powerful vampire I've ever met. He is not to be messed with. He always wears a red coat and hat with orange sunglasses. Does that sound familiar?"

She shook her head. "No, that's not him." She took her bag off her shoulder and pulled out a piece of folded paper. "This is the only other clue I have." I got up from my desk, took the paper from her and unfolded it. It was a fairly detailed drawing of an older man. Probably in his sixties. He had black hair and wore a monocle in his left eye.

"This is very detailed for a man you've only seen once," I noted, walking back to my desk and sitting down.

"When you see someone in your dreams every night, you start to remember their face." She laughed, embarrassed. I looked the picture over again.

"I recognize him," I said flatly after a few minutes. A look of pure happiness spread across her face. "I don't know his name, but I've seen him with the woman whom Alucard calls master; Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. Wherever she is, he is always by her side." I placed the drawing on my desk. "That's all I know." I expected her smile to fade again, but it didn't.

"Thank you Father! You have no idea what this means to me!" She was practically beaming with joy. I couldn't help but smile.

"Of course my dear, but if you don't mind me asking what will you do now? Hellsing is a very secretive organization."

To my surprise she smiled, but it wasn't same as before. "Well…" She looked me directly in the eyes. "You have connections, Father Anderson. You wouldn't mind helping me, would you?"

Suddenly, as she spoke, I started to feel dizzy. Everything was growing fuzzy. I stood up, but didn't feel myself do it. "That would be no problem at all," I heard myself speak, but didn't feel my lips move.

"Fantastic!" With that, everything went black.

**One Month Later**

**London, England**

**Sir Shelby Penwood's P.O.V**.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, gentlemen." The young woman who sat before us smiled, beside her stood a member of the Iscariots; Father Alexander Anderson. I hadn't the faintest idea as to what Hugh was thinking, letting that monster in here, but something wasn't quite right about him. His face was expressionless. He seemed to just stare off into space. The woman looked up at Anderson. "Father, you should go back to Rome. I'm sure the children are waiting for your return. Thank you for everything that you've done." He nodded, turned, and left without a word. Once he was gone, I felt a little more relaxed. The woman turned her head to face me once again.

I was the first to speak up. "I'm sorry, miss, but what was your name again?" I asked, the nervousness I was feeling coming through my voice more than I would have liked.

"My name is Melody Love. It's an honor to make your acquaintance, Sir." She bowed her head slightly.

Hugh spoke up after me. "I'm afraid that Sir Penwood and I are the only two who will be attending this meeting. I do hope you understand."

She waved her hands. "No problem at all!"

"You said over the phone that this had to do with Hellsing. I invited Sir Integra herself, but she got wrapped up in an investigation. She has asked us to convey any information to her." Hugh folded his hands.

"That's rather unfortunate, but I'm sure the two of you will be more than capable of helping me." She pulled a piece of paper out of her jacket pocket. "I'm searching for a man who, according to Father Anderson, works for the Hellsing organization."

Hugh looked at me. "Oh, yes, of course!" I quickly got up and approached Miss Love. She handed me the paper and I returned to my seat so I could show Irons. I unfolded the paper to see a drawing of Integra's butler. "Damn, what's his name…?" I mumbled. Hugh took the paper from me.

"Walter C. Dornez." He placed the drawing in front of him, and looked up at Miss Love, who had the biggest smile on her face.

"That's his name then?!" She exclaimed. "His name is Walter?!"

"Yes…" Hugh nodded. "He's the butler for the Hellsing organization…" He paused. "What is your connection to him, Miss Love?"

She continued to smile, but lowered her head and began staring at her feet, looking almost nostalgic. "He saved my life," She finally spoke after a moment or two. "I owe him the world. I may not be able to walk anymore, but I am alive thanks to him. I'm sure he doesn't remember me, but I want to meet with him. Please, I'll do anything!" She pleaded, looking us both in the eyes. "Let me meet with him…please…"

I felt a little dizzy all of a sudden, but before I could say anything, Hugh picked up the phone in front of him and began dialing.

"I will request a meeting with Sir Integra," He said as the phone rang.

"Thank you, Sir Hugh. I am so beyond grateful." She smiled.

**The Next Day**

**Hellsing Headquarters**

**Walter Dornez's P.O.V**

It had been about 24 hours since Sir Integra received a call from Sir Hugh Irons asking for a meeting. Apparently, there was someone who needed to meet with me. I hadn't the slightest clue as to who it could be. According to Sir Hugh, they were human, which was even more confusing. At first I didn't understand Sir Integra's reasoning for agreeing to this meeting, but she explained it as '_If they would really go so far as to track down the Round Table Conference members, it has to be important.'_

I walked into Sir Integra's office, my footsteps echoing in the large room.

"Ah, Walter, Sir Penwood has just arrived with the person you're supposed to meet with. They're in the next room," She informed me and went back to discussing something with Sir Penwood, who was standing in front of her. This didn't seem like a good idea at all. We had no idea who this person was, but it wasn't my place to question her judgment. I had to trust that she was making the right decision. I bowed and walked back down the hall, and into the room on my right.

I turned to face them, only to have my heart stop. I recognized her immediately. The woman whom I rescued over two years ago sat in a wheelchair in front of me. She was staring out the window. She was wearing a white button-down shirt with a plaid skirt.

I couldn't speak. My mind was blank. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought she could have survived. Finally, I managed two words. "You're alive…!" Her eyes widened when I spoke, she turned to look at me. She was shaking, her mouth opening like she wanted to speak, but nothing came out. She shook her head and then looked at me again, taking a deep breath, trying to compose herself.

"I-" She started to form words. "I never thought this day would actually come." She looked as though she might cry. "I searched for you for two years! I never thought I'd actually find you!"

"How?!" I finally asked. "You were dying; the doctors told me you weren't going to make it!"

She looked shocked. She placed her hand over her heart. "A miracle, I suppose." I relaxed a little. I was yelling and that was uncalled for. This girl had been searching for me for two years. Demanding why she was alive was rude.

"I apologize, I just find this hard to believe."

"That's all right," She disregarded it like it was nothing. There was silence for a few moments. I was trying to take in the fact that she was here.

"What is your name, Miss?" I asked after a few minutes.

"Melody Love." She smiled. Again there was silence.

"You're…paralyzed…"

Her expression changed from happiness to sadness. Her eyes went from bright and alive to dull and vacant. "The doctor told me I'd never walk again, but it was four months after the attack that I started to regain some feeling in my legs."

"That's a miracle!"

"NO!" She shouted, catching me off guard. "Forgive me, but this is anything but a miracle. I could have lived with the paralysis, I really could! At least I'd be alive, but no!" She covered her face with her hands, shaking her head back and forth. Then she put her finger to her eyes and removed what I assumed were contacts and looked back up with me with fiery red eyes.

This didn't make any sense. She was a vampire!? She had no bite marks on her that night. She didn't turn. She should be able to walk if she's a vampire. What the hell was going on!?

"I can see you're confused," She pointed out. "I'll explain," She said, her tone of voice very serious. "I was in physical therapy for four months. I wasn't making any progress. I had no hope of ever regaining any feeling in my legs, but the therapist had me come back one more time." She gripped the arm rests tightly. "He said '_Melody, what if I could give you back your legs? What if I told you that I can help you walk again?' _I was depressed, I was angry, I told him to stop toying with me and asked to leave. He grabbed me and bit me. I thought I was going to die. I blacked out and when I woke up I was able to move my legs a little, but as you can see as far as healing abilities go, I basically don't have any." When she was finished with her story, she was squeezing the arm rests so tight had been crushed as if they were made of tin foil and not steel.

"The vampire that turned you. What became of him?" I asked.

"He's dead. I killed him myself!" She answered, her eyes filled with rage. "What I lack in healing I make up for in my persuasion." She smirked. "I told him to burn down the building with him still inside."

"So that's how you got this far." I began to put the pieces together. "You brainwashed Sir Penwood, but that can't be the only person who helped you. Who else?"

"Father Alexander Anderson." She smiled.

"So you used Father Anderson to find the conference members and you used Sir Penwood to find me?"

"Bingo!" She smiled again.

"How many others died in that fire?" I asked.

"According to the papers, the only casualties were Doctor James Smith and Melody Love." She placed her hands on my lap.

"You faked your own death," I concluded.

"I had no other choice. I couldn't carry on a human life. Until just recently, I couldn't be out during the day. So what was I supposed to do?" She sighed. "I may be a monster now, but I have no interest in killing people if I don't have to."

I didn't speak for a while after that. I tried to process everything that she had told me. After what seemed like ages, I broke the silence "Why have you come here, Miss Love? Have you come to try and kill me for saving you?"

She stared at me for a moment and then burst out laughing. "Me, kill you!?" She leaned forward. "No! Why on earth would I want to kill you!?" She finally regained her composure and sat up straight. "Walter…I'm here to thank you." She smiled. It was sincere and kind. I was more confused than ever. Why would she want to thank me?

"It's ultimately because of me that you lost your humanity," I reminded her.

She simply smiled and shook her head. "No, you are the reason why I have a second chance at life. As much as I detest what I have become, I cannot hate you Walter. I owe you everything. With that in mind, I have a request."

I raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?"

"Walter, will you please take me on as your apprentice!?" She bowed her head. She was serious. I could tell by the way she was shaking. She was nervous. I didn't answer her right away. I looked her over. She was in a wheelchair. How much could she really do? It wasn't really up to me, anyway. Sir Integra would have the final say.

"No…" I finally answered. "I can't do that, Miss Love. You can't walk. Without your legs, I'm afraid that you won't be much help to us." I watched her; she was shaking, holding back tears. She finally looked up at me, scowling. She gripped the handles on her chair, and with shaking arms, looked like she was trying to force herself to stand up.

"Stop! You're just going to hurt yourself!" I pleaded with her.

"Be quiet!" She yelled. "I can do this!" Slowly but surely, she started to rise. Her legs were shaking. "I will prove to you that I'm not useless!" She took one step. She grabbed on to the table that was beside her and took another step with her left leg. I didn't know what to say. She was doing it. Slowly, she would take a step and move her hand along the table. It had to hurt, but she kept going, slowly making her way towards me. A red tear escaped her left eye. She finally reached me, her legs were shaking and her white shirt was spotted with bloody tears. She was a short girl. No taller than five feet.

I placed my right hand on her shoulder. "That's enough, Miss Love…" I picked her up, which surprised her. I carried her back to her wheelchair and placed her back in it. "I'll speak with Sir Integra and see if we can't work something out." I smiled. "Now then, you're going to get your shirt all bloody if you keep this up." She looked away from me, embarrassed. She used her hand to wipe away the blood, staining her hand.

I walked around her and wheeled her into Sir Integra's office where she was waiting. "Just let me do the talking." I whispered. She nodded.

"So I take it you two have talked. I have to say, I was surprised when you arrived here. I thought you were long dead. Your name is Melody, correct?"

"Yes Sir!" Miss Love responded nervously. Sir Integra looked up from her paperwork and narrowed her eyebrows.

"You're a vampire?" She had noticed her eye color.

"Yes Sir. I was turned four months after the incident." She explained. Sir Integra pulled out a cigar and lit it, taking a puff and blowing out smoke.

"So what have you come here for, Melody? Is it revenge?" She took another puff of her cigar.

"No Sir. I…" She trailed off and looked back at me.

"Well? Go on, I haven't got all day." She was intimidated by Sir Integra, I could tell.

"Sir Integra, Miss Love has requested that I, with your permission, take her on as my apprentice," I spoke for her. She raised an eyebrow.

"Is this true, Melody?" She smiled

"Yes Sir," she responded quickly. Sir Integra sat there for a moment or two, then pressed her cigar into the ash tray on her desk.

"You're a vampire, yet you're unable to walk. Why is that?" She asked.

"I have very poor healing abilities, Sir. I can only walk short distances at this moment, Sir."

"Show me," Sir Integra ordered. Miss Love was already exhausted from walking across the last room and here she didn't have anything to hold on to. There was no way she could pull that off. She wasn't ready for it.

"Sir Integra, there's no need for that. She proved to me that she can walk just a moment ago," I noted.

"I don't care. I didn't see it, so she will do it again." She rested her head on hands. There was no way she could do this.

"Walter…?" Miss Love looked back at me. "Have a little faith in me." She smiled. It took me a moment to realize that she had read my mind. She slowly raised herself from the wheelchair, legs already shaking, but she was standing again. She took the first step with her right foot and then her left. She let go of the handles and stood free from any supports. Slowly, step by step, she made her way towards Sir Integra's desk. When she was halfway there, she tripped and fell, landing hard on the floor.

'_That's it_…'I thought. '_It's over', _but she pushed herself back to her feet and within five minutes, had reached the desk. She placed her hand on the wooden surface, breathing heavily and clearly exhausted.

"Very good…" Sir Integra smiled. "Alright Melody, I'll cut you a deal!" She sat back in her chair and pulled out another cigar.

Miss Love stood up straight and answered confidently. "Yes Sir."

"I want you back on your feet permanently in no more than four months. You need to be able to run if you want to work for me. At the end of those four months, you will run a lap around the entire estate. Do that and I'll let Walter take you on as his apprentice. Do we have a deal?" She held her hand out. Miss Love took it.

"You're on!"

**To Be Continued**

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**Author's note**: Hello! Thanks for reading chapter two of The Angel's Apprentice. This is my 5th fanfic ever and I intend to finish this one...unlike the others. I hope to provide plenty of twists and turns, drama and of course romance. This story is rated M and I assure it will earn that rating in all good time. I promise to dedicate all spare time to this project. Reviews are always appreciated.

Thanks

Ryo Wei


	3. What We Have to Fear

Authors note: Hello Everyone and welcome to Chapter three. This took me a long while because I'm back in school and art school like to kick the living shit out of you. So yeah this is going up three weeks later than I would have liked. Also this was just a difficult chapter to write since not too much happens. It's all about getting to know Melody and the dynamic between her and Walter.

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**Chapter 3**

**What We Have to Fear**

**Hellsing Headquarters**

**Walter Dornez's P.O.V**

It had been two months since Miss Love had been put into my care. She was making progress much faster than any of us had anticipated. We quickly figured out that her poor healing ability was in part due to the fact that she hadn't drank a single drop of blood in two years. There were still good days and bad days, but overall there was massive improvement. I was starting to believe she could actually do it. If she could learn to walk again, then I would have an apprentice, someone who I could teach my style of fighting to. I wouldn't-

It was Miss Love's sudden screams that broke me from my thoughts. I ran down the hall and burst into her room. She was having nightmares again. I sat on her the edge of her bed and placed my right hand on her shoulder, shaking her. Sometimes it took a few tries to wake her, but this time her eyelids flew open right away. She sprung up from her bed and threw her arms around me, holding on to me as tight as she could. This had been a bad one.

More often than not, she would see me and push me away, thinking I was an attacker, but not this time. She was clinging to me, terrified and breathing in short gasps. Within a few seconds, she became aware of her actions and let go.

"Walter I…" She looked away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

I shook my head and stood up. I walked over to the window and stared out it. We were on the second floor, her room was right beside mine.

"What was it this time?" I asked. "Memories from two years ago?"

"No." She brought her knees to her chest. "It was different." I waited for her to continue but she didn't. I turned to face her.

"Try and go back to sleep, Miss. You have another long day ahead of you." I turned to leave.

"Wait, Walter!" She called me back. "Would you mind staying just a little longer?"

I sighed. I was exhausted, but a few minutes couldn't hurt. I walked back into the room and stood by the window. This was unusual. She had never asked me to stay before. She usually insisted that I leave once she pulled herself together. The nightmares, more often than not, made her angry. Not frightened.

"This is pathetic," she muttered, visibly upset even in the poorly lit room. "Who's ever heard of a vampire that has nightmares?"

I had to admit that it had never occurred to me that vampires had dreams, let alone nightmares. After all, what could a vampire possibly be afraid of?

She looked up at me. The expression on her face suggested that she had heard my thoughts. It was a bad habit of hers.

She placed her head on her knees and stayed silent for a minute or two before saying, "Being alone."

I found it hard not to smile. "That's a very human fear, Miss." I expected her to be angry from that comment, but instead she laughed.

"I suppose you're right…" She grinned. "Although you're human and I can't imagine you being afraid of anything!"

"We all have fears, Miss…" I said plainly. She looked surprised by this and tilted her head to the side, but then she smiled the way she always did when she found something intriguing.

"Oh really?" Her red eyes seemed to glow. "Now what on earth could the great Walter C. Dornez, The Angel of Death, have to fear?"

I sighed. "You've been listening to Alucard's stories, then?"

"Maybe…" She said playfully. I had two options, tell her or let her read my mind. As I had found out over the last month, manipulating people using their thoughts and persuasion was something she thoroughly enjoyed. It was indeed a reminder that she was no longer human. "It's alright." Her smile became more kind and sincere. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

She could just be saying that, but for some reason I didn't think that was the case. I stared at her and was quiet for a long time. She yawned and stretched, lifting her arms above her head.

"I'm sorry for keeping you up, Walter. You really shouldn't have to put up with me, but I have to admit I'm glad you do. You should get some sleep. Good night, Walter and… thank you for staying with me." She laid down and pulled up the blankets.

"Being forgotten…" She opened her eyes wide and sat back up. She stared at me. "I am afraid of being forgotten," I repeated.

"That's… absurd," she said in a hushed voice. I shouldn't have said anything. Now I simply felt foolish. She frowned and moved her legs over the edge of the bed, pushing herself up. Once she got her balance, she started to limp towards me. "Why on earth would you think something like that?" She stood in front of me and unexpectedly put her arms around me. I didn't know how to respond. I just stood there. "I wish you could understand how important you are to me. I turned England upside down to find you. I tracked down monsters and the Iscariots because I couldn't forget your face. I will not fail this test that Sir Integra has given me. I'll be your apprentice and you will never be forgotten. I will make sure of that."

It truly was the kindest thing anyone had ever said to me. For a few brief seconds, I hugged her back. "Thank you," I whispered. She stepped back and gave a childish grin.

"I think I'm going to stay up. If I go back to sleep, you'll just end up having to wake me up again." She sighed, looking at the clock on her desk. It was only 1:00 in the morning. "Maybe I'll go find Alucard and get him to tell me another story about you and your Nazi-killing adventures!"

"I think not, Miss." I picked her up.

"Put me down! You know I hate being picked up!" She glared at me. I placed her on her bed.

"Go to sleep, Miss." I smiled and started to walk to the door.

"You know I can just get back up again. I'm not completely helpless anymore." She was being childishly stubborn again.

"Allow me to put it differently, then. Go to sleep, that's an order."

She folded her arms, but instead of protesting she laid down. "Yes sir." I was rather surprised that it had worked, but certainly wasn't complaining. I left her room and remembered that I still had something I had to do before I would be able to go to bed. Alucard had asked me to take a look at the pistol that I had made for him a while back. It had jammed the other night on an assignment, which was clearly a problem.

I found him sitting in a room on the second floor, staring out a window. He heard me coming and turned his head to look at me.

"Good evening, Walter. You're up late tonight." He smirked. "Was that apprentice of yours keeping you up again?"

"She's not my apprentice yet," I noted.

He nodded and pulled his pistol out of his jacket. "Perhaps, but you certainly had no issues giving her an order a few moments ago."

I took the gun from him and placed it on the table. I tried to not show how anxious it made me to know he had been listening to our conversation. "You two have a rather nasty habit of hearing things you shouldn't."

"Yes, but unlike me, she doesn't do it on purpose," he said flatly.

"She's a master manipulator, of course she does it on purpose." I began taking apart his gun. "Speaking of Miss Love, she said something rather curious a few moments ago."

"Did she now?" he looked back at me.

"Yes she mentioned something about you telling her about our assignments back in World War II." I quickly found the problem and fixed it. I began putting his weapon back together.

He laughed. "Does that bother you?"

"Perhaps you should tell her about yourself instead," I answered and handed him his gun.

"She has no interest in me, Walter. In her words, she finds me _'dull'." _He looked the weapon over before placing it inside his jacket. "She finds me boring and uninteresting, but you on the other hand she adores. You have failed to notice that not once has Melody tried to use her powers of persuasion over you. She doesn't _want_ to read your mind."

"And just how do you know this?"

He let out a deep sigh and took off his sunglasses. "Simple observation, her face lights up when you enter the room. When I tell her the stories about you, she sits there, hanging on every word like a small child being told their favorite bed time story. In a word, she idolizes you." He twirled his sunglasses around his fingers.

I knew that she enjoyed being around me, but I had never considered that she might act differently around the other members of Hellsing. "I assumed she was always that happy and energetic." I leaned against the table.

He laughed again. "She might as well be a different person, Walter. She's sarcastic, angry and bitter. Ah, yes, she reminds me so much of that punk-ass kid you used to be!"

"I have to disagree, sir." I was getting annoyed.

"Oh please! You were angry with everything and everyone. The only person you would listen to was Arthur, and even he tested your patience on a regular basis. You two are painfully similar."

He was just trying to irritate me at this point. I was tired and out of patience. I went to stand up straight when a sharp pain shot through my shoulder and I fell back against the table.

Alucard noticed. "Is your back hurting you again?" he asked, getting up from his chair.

"No, I'm quite alright, thank you," I lied.

He sighed and shook his head, not buying it for a second. "You're getting old, Angel of Death. You know my offer still stands?" He held his hand out like he was trying to help me, but I knew better than that. He would offer me this choice every few years. To be perfectly honest, the older I got, the more tempting it became.

"I decline," I answered cheerfully, standing up straight.

He looked puzzled by my response. "You almost accepted last time. What's changed?" he demanded as I started making my way down the hall.

"Everything."

I only got a few hours of sleep that night. My alarm went off at 5:00AM and I went to wake up Miss Love at 6:00. To my surprise, she was already awake when I entered her room. She was laying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Good morning, Miss. It's time to get up." I pulled open her curtains. It was cloudy out today. It looked as though it might rain.

She sat up. "Good morning, Walter." She looked at me and frowned. "You look exhausted. What time did you get to bed?" she asked as she tried to push herself on to her feet.

"It was just before 2:00," I responded. "And what about you, Miss?"

"Oh, I fell asleep fairly quickly after you left." She was trying to steady herself.

"Any more nightmares?" I questioned.

"No. I actually had a really pleasant dream for the first time in months." She smiled.

"That's good. What was it about?"

Her face flushed red and she looked away from me. "I don't remember…" She quickly changed the subject. "So, why were you up so late?" She limped her way over to the closet.

"Oh, so I'm supposed to tell you why I was up, but you won't tell me about your dream?" I joked.

Her face turned a deeper shade of red. "I already told you, I don't remember what it was about! I would tell you if I did!" she yelled.

"It was a joke, Miss." I smirked.

"I see…" She opened her closet and took out a shirt and a skirt, tossing them on to her bed. "Seriously, though, why were you up?" She put her hands on her hips.

"Alucard had me fix one of his guns." I watched as she walked over to her dresser and opened the top drawer.

"That took you an hour? Good God, just how badly did he break it?" She pulled out a pair of underwear and a bra and walked back to her bed.

"It only took me a few minutes to fix the gun. He wanted to chat for a while afterward."

"Interesting… um, Walter? Can you turn around please?" she requested.

"Of course." I turned my back to her so she could get changed. I would have left, but she still had a tendency to fall quite a bit, so I was forced to stay with her.

"What did he want to talk to you about?" she asked.

"He mostly talked about you." I waited to hear her make some sort of remark, but she didn't. I thought about what else he had mentioned last night, but regretted it immediately. She most likely heard that, but she didn't say anything, so I wasn't sure.

When she finally spoke, her tone of voice was unsettling. "How many times has he offered you that?"

I was right. She had heard my thoughts. "You need stop reading my mind, Miss," I advised.

"Only if you promise me that you'll never accept that offer!" Uncomfortable silence hung in the air after that for what felt like an eternity. I didn't speak. "Please…" she whispered. "Promise me you won't ever give up your humanity." I finally turned around. Her hands were clenched into fists, her whole body shaking. "You have to hold on to it with everything you've got!"

She was being so serious, it was almost funny. It didn't suit her. I smiled and walked over to her, placing my right hand on her head. "You can be so melodramatic sometimes, Miss." This just made her angrier.

"I'm not kidding around, Walter!" she growled.

"I know you're not, Miss, but there's no need for such seriousness. I didn't accept his offer and I never will. That is a promise not only to you, but to myself."

Miss Love looked down at the floor, before relaxing a bit. "I'm going to go for a walk." She turned around and started limping towards the door.

"It's going rain soon, Miss," I reminded her.

"I know. It's a beautiful day and I'd hate to let it go to waste." She walked off.

I sighed and went after her walking beside her. "You are hopelessly stubborn, Miss."

"Been called worse I suppose." She smirked.

When we finally found ourselves outside it hadn't started raining yet. Miss Love insisted that we didn't need an umbrella, so despite my better judgment, I left it behind. It was a bit cold out, being only the beginning of April, but it didn't seem to bother her in the slightest. We walked in silence for half a kilometer. I looked over at her to see her smiling to herself. I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about. She kept tugging at the necklace she was wearing, which sported a cross.

"Doesn't it hurt to wear that necklace, Miss?" I asked.

"Yes it does. It burns…" she said absentmindedly. She tugged back her shirt collar to show me the burn mark it was leaving on her skin.

"You should take it off. There's no reason to put yourself through that kind of pain." I frowned.

"No. This cross was my Mum's. She never took it off. This cross is the heart of my family, I could care less about the pain." Her smile became more forced and painful.

This girl was such a mystery to me. One moment she was as vicious as Alucard, and the next she was more human than myself. Miss Love was a giant mess of contradictions that I could never quite seem to get right.

She noticed me staring at her and looked up at me, regaining her false smile. "What is it, Walter?" She tilted her head to the side. "If you've got something to say, just say it."

I looked straight ahead. I wanted to understand this girl, my future apprentice. "I suppose I just have a few things I wonder about."

She clapped her hands together. "Alright-y then, fire away!"

I took a moment to think about all the questions I had. I figured her family was as good a place as any to start. "So the necklace is your Mother's, yes? I take it then you two were close?"

I don't think she had anticipated such a big question right off the bat. Her eyes widened and she shoved her hands in the pockets of her skirt. "No, not really…" Miss Love kept her eyes on the ground. "We had a rather large falling out during my first semester at university, and to be honest I've always been a Daddy's girl at heart." I took the hint that it was a touchy subject and moved on.

"What kind of man was your Father then, Miss?"

A look of nostalgia came over her. "Complicated," she said simply. "My Dad was strange man. He was kind and loving, but had no trouble telling you what he thought. When I fucked things up, he was always there to take the bullet for my mistakes. He didn't make a whole lotta' sense sometimes."

I laughed at that remark. "Yes, but then again, Miss, neither do you."

She looked confused. "How so?"

"I can't seem to figure you out, Miss Love. Every time I start to think I understand you, you manage to turn everything upside down. For example, you seem to enjoy manipulating people, yet I've been told you aren't reading my mind on purpose. I don't know how you do it to even begin with! Alucard has to consume blood to read a person's mind, while you on the other hand, seem to be able to do it whenever you feel the need to." I suddenly realized I was saying far too much.

She lowered her head, almost looking ashamed. "Alucard has a big mouth." She kicked a rock at her feet. "Do you know why, Walter?" She glanced up at me. I didn't answer her. It sounded like a rhetorical question. "The manipulation is a bad habit, I'm well aware, but to survive in a world of monsters, sometimes you have to forsake a few morals. You of all people should know that. However, do not _ever_ assume that I enjoy it," she said calmly. "I don't understand how I read minds either, but I've learned how to block people out. I'd lose my damn mind if I didn't, but you… you I can't block out." Her tone changed. "It's your thoughts! They're so loud! You keep everything locked up in that head of yours and it's like-it's like you're screaming!" She put her hands over her ears and closed her eyes. "Even now…"

My thoughts raced to think of something to say to that, but that was only making it worse for her. "What would you have me do, Miss?"

"Just… talk to me, Walter. I know you're used to keeping your thoughts and opinions to yourself, but you don't have to do that around me. I don't know if it will work, but if you try to be more open, maybe your thoughts will quiet down a bit." She looked up at me nervously and was tugging on her necklace again. How long had she wanted to ask me this?

That certainly was far outside what I was used to doing. Aside from last night, the most recent time where I spoke openly that I can recall was quite a few years ago, right after the Valentine brothers' attack. I had gotten angry with Sir Islands for accusing Sir Integra that the death of our soldiers was her fault and lashed out.

The idea made enough sense, but I didn't think I'd be much good at it. "I can't make any promises… but I'm willing to try, I suppose. However I do have one condition, Miss."

"Okay, what is it?" She looked up at me.

"Alucard informed me last night that you don't exactly get along with the other members of Hellsing," I commented.

She folded her arms. "That damn Nosferatu," she mumbled.

"My condition is that from now on, you must treat everyone else with the same respect you show me."

"Even Alucard?" she groaned.

"Yes. I don't think it will happen, but if you fail to pass Sir Integra's test, he will be your master," I explained. She started to quicken her walking pace, trying to fight the weakness in her left leg.

"I will shoot myself first!" she exclaimed, pushing herself to walk even faster. Miss Love was certainly determined if nothing else. She stopped suddenly and held her hand out, looking up at the sky. "It's raining," she stated. I looked up as well and felt a drop hit my face. "We should head back…"

"Agreed." We turned around and started walking back towards the estate. We barely made it a quarter of the way there before it started to downpour. "Damn it!" I cursed. I grabbed Miss Love by her hand and started running. "Come on!"

It didn't occur to me that this was her first attempt at running until after we had gotten out of the rain.

"Well, that was an adventure!" she said, trying to catch her breath as I closed the door behind us.

Just then, a member of the Wild Geese walked by and stopped to stare at us, but focused on Miss Love and smiled. "Nice shirt honey!" He whistled. I looked over at her and saw that her bra was showing through her shirt. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to cover herself.

"Don't look at me, please…" she whimpered. "Please don't look at me."

The mercenary just laughed and started to walk off. I flung my wires at him, aiming for his leg. They wrapped around his ankle and I pulled down slightly, yanking him to floor. Then I let go and let the wires return to my hand. I was already pissed off for getting caught in the rain, I would not stand for someone harassing my apprentice, or my future apprentice, or whatever the hell she was at this point.

Miss Victoria entered the room at that moment and looked first at us, and then at the man on the floor. "Why is Brian on the floor?" she asked.

"He tripped," I said casually. She then focused on Miss Love and myself.

"You two are soaked." She walked up to us. She took a better glance at Miss Love, who looked absolutely humiliated, and frowned. "You alright Melody?" Miss Love shook her head no and tightened her arms around her chest. "Hold on, I'll go get you a towel so you can cover up!" Seras turned to go.

"That's alright, Miss Victoria." I took off my vest and put it over Miss Love's shoulders. It wasn't much, but hopefully it would keep her from getting unwanted attention. She looked up at me, surprised.

"Thank you…" She pulled it closer. "This was my fault. I was the one who said we didn't need an umbrella."

"No harm done, Miss." I looked to Seras. "Miss Victoria, would you mind looking after Miss Love today? I have some business to attend to." I shot a look at the man Miss Victoria had called "Brian" in the corner.

"No, not at all…" She looked over at Brian as well, then down at Miss Love, appearing to have made the connection. They quickly made their way upstairs. I strode over to Brian. Years ago, I wouldn't have hesitated to beat him senseless, but I restrained myself.

"I'll be having a word with your Captain about this incident." I glared at him and left, walking up the stairs to get out of these clothes.

The next two months went by quickly. Miss Love was able to start running regularly one week after the incident in the rain. As promised, I started to be more open about my thoughts with her and she made an effort to get along with other members of Hellsing. However, according to her, so far my attempts to quiet my thoughts have had minimal effect.

She was having fewer nightmares now. Maybe one or two a week at most, but none of them seemed to be about her past anymore and she rarely cried out in her sleep. The only reason I even knew if she was still having them was that she would act rather strange for an hour or two the morning after.

She and Miss Victoria had also developed something of a friendship. I'd sometimes hear them late at night in her room, talking and laughing about something. If she wasn't with me, then chances were that she was with her.

It was 8:00 in the morning, the day of Miss Love's test. She was pacing back and forth in her room. She was tugging on her cross, which she did frequently as a nervous habit. "This isn't good, Walter!" she said, panicking.

"I'm sure that everything will be fine," I assured her. Miss Love was talking about the current state of the weather. It was sunny out when the forecast had predicted clouds.

"I can only last fifteen minutes out in the sun before I start to burn. Trust me, I've tested it plenty of times. I don't know if I can make it all the way around the estate in fifteen minutes!" She pointed outside.

"We just did a test run the other day, Miss, and you were able to finish in just under thirteen minutes," I reminded her, but it was obvious that there was no reasoning with her in this state.

"Yes, but what if something happens and I don't run as fast as I did on Tuesday? What if-what if-aaaahhh!" She looked as though she was going to tear her hair out. There was a knock at the door. Miss Love didn't seem to hear it and resumed pacing back and forth. I opened the door to find Miss Victoria standing there. She was holding a small box in her hand.

"How's she doing?" she asked, peering around me to try and see what was going on.

"I'd say on the verge of a mental break down." I stood to the side so she could see for herself.

Seras nodded and looked up at me. "She's just scared, that's all. The weather has nothing to do with it. Let me see what I can do and we'll meet you outside." She smiled.

"Thank you, I appreciate it." I left the room, closing the door behind me.

Twenty minutes later, Sir Integra, Captain Bernadotte, and myself were standing outside, waiting for them to show up. The longer she waited, the more painful the run would be. Maybe I should have stayed with her.

Finally, they walked outside. Miss Love was wearing an old jacket that Miss Victoria used to wear when she had to go out in the sun. Seras walked beside her, talking to her, but I couldn't make out what she was saying. Miss Love nodded and smiled, approaching us.

"Are you ready, Melody?" Sir Integra asked, puffing on one of her cigars.

"Yes, Sir!" Miss Love responded confidently.

"Go on then, show me how wrong I was about you." Sir Integra stepped back. Miss Love unzipped the jacket and handed it to Miss Victoria. Her hair was pulled back now with a red hair ribbon I'd never seen before.

"It would be my pleasure, Sir." She bowed. She looked at me. "See you in a few minutes, Walter."

"See you in a few minutes, Miss." I smiled. Miss Love turned her back to us and started running. When she was almost about to round the corner, Sir Integra looked up at me.

"You think she can do it?"

"Without a doubt." I watched as she turned the corner. She had already successfully done this lap around the estate just the other day, but I was worried about the sun. She would get tired more quickly, slow down, and if she took more than fifteen minutes, she would start to burn up.

Time ticked by quickly. As confident as I had felt only ten minutes before, I was starting to get anxious.

Captain Bernadotte put his hand to his ear. "Hey, _mon cher_, how's our girl doing?"

I was so deep in my thoughts that I hadn't even realized that Miss Victoria had flown on top of the building and was watching Miss Love as she made her way around.

"Excellent, I'll let them know." He took out his ear piece and turned to me with a smile on his face. "Melody should be coming around that corner any second now!"

I looked straight ahead, watching closely, and sure enough, Miss Love rounded the corner moments later and was heading straight for us. When she saw me, she started to sprint as fast as she could.

Sir Integra, who was standing beside me, laughed. "Congratulations, Walter." She turned and started to walk away. "I want her battle-ready in two months."

"Of course, Sir."

Miss Victoria dropped down, landing beside me. She had the pink jacket in her hands ready to hand it to Miss Love the second she was close enough.

She was coming at us full speed but skidded to a halt and stood in front of me. She bent over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

"Well done, Miss."

She stood up straight and smiled from ear to ear. "Thank you, Master!" It took me a moment to remember that, that was my title now.

Seras handed her the jacket which Miss Love quickly put on. "How about we move this conversation inside? The sun is starting to piss me off," Miss Victoria suggested. The three of us hurried inside and then Miss Love shed the coat once again. Miss Victoria grabbed her hands. "Now then, tonight we celebrate you officially joining us! I'll get the alcohol!" she exclaimed.

Miss Love turned her head to look at me with an expression that said '_HELP ME!'_

"I'd have to advise against that. Miss Love starts training with me first thing tomorrow and we can't afford to lose a day to a hangover," I protested.

"You're no fun, Walter!" Miss Victoria frowned.

"I'm simply doing my job, Miss."

"Ugh. Fine, whatever. I'm going to bed." She left and started making her way towards the basement.

When she was gone, I looked over to Miss Love, who looked relieved. "Thank you, Master. I didn't know how I was going to get out of that one." She laughed nervously. "I'm not exactly the most fun person to be around when drunk!"

I nodded. "I have to catch up on some work with Sir Integra today. You can have the day off, but be ready to hit the ground running first thing tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Master!" We walked up the stairs, but then headed in opposite directions.

The next morning, I woke up at 5:00 and was getting dressed when Alucard walked through the wall to my right.

"Good morning, Alucard. Is something the matter?" I asked, tightening the tie around my neck.

"The police girl informed me that you and the girl are officially Master and servant. I've come to congratulate you." He grinned.

'_She's not my servant, she's my apprentice, not that you'd ever know the difference!_' I thought to myself, but simply nodded. "Thank you, sir." I knew that couldn't be the only thing he was here for, so I waited for him to continue.

"She really is a fascinating girl and she's completely devoted to you. I've been trying to figure out why she chose you for a Master. Yes, you saved her life, but there's something else…" He looked to me for answers.

I threw on my vest and buttoned it. "She was close with her Father, perhaps I remind her of him," I said flatly.

"No, no, that's not it." Alucard shook his head. "I had considered that, but after I convinced her to tell me about him I've concluded that you are nothing like he was. No I'd almost say…" He trailed off, and then started to laugh to himself. "I'd almost say that she was in love with you."

"Oh come now, don't be absurd!" I scoffed. It was far too early to play these annoying little games of his. "I'm old enough to be her Grandfather, for heaven's sake." I put on my monocle and turned to face him.

He shrugged. "What does age matter to her? She's dead!" He smirked.

"As if that makes the prospect any less ridiculous!" I glared at him. Alucard was simply trying to stir up trouble again. "Now if you'll excuse me, Alucard, I have things to do," I said harshly, eager to end this annoying conversation. He looked more amused by my anger than anything, but that shouldn't have come as much of a surprise. Annoying me to the point of snapping has always been one of his favorite pastimes. "You should be going to bed soon, correct? The sun will be rising soon." I walked out of my room, expecting that he would follow.

"Yes, I'll be going to bed in a bit. I'll take the long way this time." He walked behind me.

"I'm going to wake up Miss Love," I informed him, hoping that would change his mind.

"She's already awake. The little girl was talking with my fledgling in her room last time I checked." He yawned. "The girl was saying something about you, but it was far too boring to really pay attention."

I was only half-listening, but I did pick up on one thing. "So, that's what you've decided to call her then? _The girl_?" I asked. He had a thing for calling humans by nicknames. It was actually quite the compliment. It meant he thought you'd actually stick around and that he was no longer entertaining the idea of killing you in your sleep.

"Actually, it's _little girl…_" he corrected.

I was sure that if Miss Love ever found out about this choice of name for her, she'd hit the roof. If there was one thing she hated more than being picked up, it was being called short.

Almost as if on cue, I heard Miss Love's voice call out behind me. "Good morning, Master!" Her voice sounded cheerful as usual.

"Oh, good morning Mi-" I stopped mid-sentence when I turned around to face her. She was dressed the same clothes as myself. Vest, tie, gloves, we were almost identical with three exceptions. Although her hair was pulled back she kept her bangs in her face, her hair was being tied by the red ribbon from yesterday and obviously she wasn't wearing a monocle. "Miss…?" I stared at her in shock.

She looked confused. "Yes, Master?"

"What in the name of sanity are you wearing?" I asked. Alucard, meanwhile, could no longer hold it in and began laughing so hard he couldn't breathe.

"Oh, that's perfect!" he managed to get out between fits of laughter. "Just give her a fucking cigarette and a bad attitude and it would be flawless!" He was bent over, holding his sides.

Miss Love's demeanor changed all most instantly. She scowled, her eyes turning from a soft cherry color to blood red. "How about you do us all a favor, Alucard, and piss the fuck off?" she hissed.

That was practically asking for a fight. I had to be ready to get between them if things got any more heated, but to my surprise, he simply shrugged. Alucard turned his back to her and started to walk away. "Good luck, Angel, good luck!" He looked back at me for a moment before fading into nothing.

When he was gone, I looked back at Miss Love, who had returned to her cheerful self as if nothing had ever happened. I refocused on the issue at hand. "Miss, would you care to explain your choice of clothes?" I asked awkwardly.

She tilted her head to the side and frowned. "You don't like it?"

"Well you see it's just that…" I couldn't seem to find the right words. "I'm flattered, Miss, but don't you think something more… feminine would suit you better?" I suggested, trying to be as polite about it as possible.

Her face turned noticeably red and she looked down at the floor. "Well, I guess I could talk to Sir Integra about it…" She glanced up at me, but was careful to avoid direct eye contact.

"I'm sorry, Miss, I don't understand what you mean."

Miss Love started tugging at her necklace again. "It was her idea to put me in these clothes, Master. She said now that I was your apprentice, I needed to dress properly."

I was going to say that I doubted her story, but when I took a moment to think about it did seem like something she would do. When Sir Integra was a child, if I failed to spend time with her, she would often pull some sort of trick to make my life difficult. Before Miss Love showed up, I was rarely not by her side, but now…

The realization that this was one of her revenge tactics hit me like a ton of bricks. There would be no changing her mind, no matter what I did.

"Master…? Are you okay?" Miss Love asked, looking concerned, although I'm sure she could hear my thoughts loud and clear.

"Yes… I'm fine" I tried to pull myself together.

"Should I go talk with Sir Integra?"

"No, I don't think there would be much point in that, Miss." I sighed and started walking down the hall. Miss Love quickly followed, walking beside me_. 'We have a lot of work to do…'_

**TBC**

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Author's note: Thanks for reading this chapter. I promise that next chapter shall be filled with all sorts of excitement. Hopefully it won't take a month to write, but we shall see. See you next time.

Ryo Wei


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